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Explain What Happens In A Criminal Trial To Kill A Mockingbird

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A) What happens in the trial to the characters involved (ie the witnesses, judges, lawyers)? To Kill a Mockingbird is entered around the trial of alleged rape of Mayella Ewell by Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch is Tom Robinson’s defence lawyer. In the trial, he aimed to truly and justly defend Tom despite the town’s prejudices towards the case. During the course of the trial, four witnesses are questioned: Tom Robinson, Heck Tate, Mayella Ewell and her father Bob Ewell. Tom Robinson is scared during the course of the trial because he knows that his skin colour will render a verdict of guilty. Even though he knows he’s innocent, he provides all relevant information to the court. He trusts Atticus to defend him. Heck Tate is confident during the …show more content…

During the course of a criminal trial, adversaries are tasked with convincing the judge or jury to believe their perspective on the case. Justice is pursued, but not always achieved. Justice in a criminal trial is achieved when the innocent is found innocent and the guilty is found guilty. The adversarial system tasks the judge with choosing the most persuasive argument. This is not justice, but a process of persuasion and wit.

D) How important do you think the ‘fact’ of a criminal trial – the performance of prosecuting someone for an egregious violation of international law – is to the idea of transitional justice? Criminal trials act as a process for punishment. Even though in itself they do not directly deliver transitional justice, they act as a vehicle A primary purpose of transitional justice is to seek recognition for victims, as well as the promotion of peace and reconciliation. Criminal trials are concerned with interests of the defendant, they do not allow victims to share their stories. Victims are not given a formal or active role in all criminal trials. Testimonies from victims are subject to examination. This does not provide an adequate process for transitional

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